The pictures of the back of the Roamio Pro and Plus clearly show component output connectors.

The tivo.com feature comparison web page for the Roamios clearly shows an X (nada) for component output for all 3 models.

Various reviews say it does have component output.

Will someone who couldn't wait and got next day shipment please report on the actual state of affairs? Are the component output connectors only there for decoration, or can you get a picture on them?

Thanks in advance.

(I would vastly prefer that the component output works - I have nothing but trouble with HDCP - things like switching the TV input for a minute then switching back sometimes takes forever to decide that it is valid to send a picture again. There are so many incompetent implementations of HDCP on devices with HDMI output, and I know what category I'd expect the TiVo engineers to fall in :-).

For the AV breakout cable, will any 3.5mm to composite cable like for camcorders work or must the cable be supplied by Tivo? No specific cable accessory on Tivo.com says it's for Roamio. Or will an AV breakout cable be included in the Roamio box?

On the Mini it took a specific one because the ground was in a different place then most breakout cables (which are typically designed for Apple devices) But as long as the ground is in the right spot the other 3 cables are interchangeable so it'll work even if you have to mismatch the colors.

I have no idea if they include one in the box. They didn't with the Mini. And the cables for the Mini didn't show up for like 2 weeks after the Mini was released. I bet the Mini one would work, but those are sold as a set and relatively expensive, and you'd end up with a component cable you didn't need.

On the Mini it took a specific one because the ground was in a different place then most breakout cables (which are typically designed for Apple devices) But as long as the ground is in the right spot the other 3 cables are interchangeable so it'll work even if you have to mismatch the colors.

I have no idea if they include one in the box. They didn't with the Mini. And the cables for the Mini didn't show up for like 2 weeks after the Mini was released. I bet the Mini one would work, but those are sold as a set and relatively expensive, and you'd end up with a component cable you didn't need.

A 1/8th inch phone plug with ground somewhere other than where it's been for the last half century or so?

I finally found the webmaster feedback form on tivo.com and mailed them pointing out that the pictures of the pro and plus clearly show component out connectors and the "specifications" tab on the "shop for Roamio" page clearly says none of the models support component output. Maybe they'll fix the web page or clarify that the connectors are just there for decoration.

I still hope to hear from someone who actually hooked up component cables to a pro or plus model and got a picture from them on their TV :-).

I finally found the webmaster feedback form on tivo.com and mailed them pointing out that the pictures of the pro and plus clearly show component out connectors and the "specifications" tab on the "shop for Roamio" page clearly says none of the models support component output. Maybe they'll fix the web page or clarify that the connectors are just there for decoration.

I still hope to hear from someone who actually hooked up component cables to a pro or plus model and got a picture from them on their TV :-).

I have the Plus and have both component and HDMI connected to my TV. As with prior TIVO's they are both active, and in my case, both work.

I've seen video components that have only component (RGBHV, YCbCr, YUV, etc.) connections on them, but the Y (green colored luminance +sync/color difference signal) also carries the composite video feed if so selected in the menu. This could be the case with the 1/8" A/V jack on the Basic.

I've seen video components that have only component (RGBHV, YCbCr, YUV, etc.) connections on them, but the Y (green colored luminance +sync/color difference signal) also carries the composite video feed if so selected in the menu. This could be the case with the 1/8" A/V jack on the Basic.

I forgot about those. My GFs Vizio Tv does that. I had not run across it before until I went to hook up an old analog device to the TV.

I've seen video components that have only component (RGBHV, YCbCr, YUV, etc.) connections on them, but the Y (green colored luminance +sync/color difference signal) also carries the composite video feed if so selected in the menu. This could be the case with the 1/8" A/V jack on the Basic.

I finally found the webmaster feedback form on tivo.com and mailed them pointing out that the pictures of the pro and plus clearly show component out connectors and the "specifications" tab on the "shop for Roamio" page clearly says none of the models support component output. Maybe they'll fix the web page or clarify that the connectors are just there for decoration.

Hey! They actually fixed the web page to show the Pro and Plus have component out now. Maybe the folks complaining about the base model showing gigabit ethernet support could get them to fix that as well

The should be... Stream should work while copy should fail - have we heard something different with stream away from home?

It's unclear. A couple of the reviewers mentioned that they were unable to stream premium channels outside the home. The CableCARD spec doesn't really cover this scenario so who knows what they'll have to do to prevent from getting sued.

But with built in Streaming and out of home Streaming coming soon I wonder how many people with the Plus/Pro will continue to use a Slingbox?

Sling has years and years of experience in adaptive encoding. I doubt very much Stream will be better at adapting to low and changing WAN bandwidth while providing a good picture. Plus at least for me if there is no PC client such that I can use a laptop then out of home streaming is of little to no value - I don't use Apple or Android devices. Finally, being able to capture/record Sling output is a recent capability I find very useful and a way to circumvent CCI byte if needed, something that cannot currently be done with Stream output. For in home use Stream is a more elegant solution, but if I'm at home then I'd rather use a real TV to stream to, and all my TVs have a series 4 or higher stream client ready to serve that purpose. Those are some reasons why Stream is of little value to me compared to Slingbox and will likely continue to be so for years.

Isn't capturing from Slingbox the same as "Download" on the Stream? (Minus the CCI limitation) I'm betting if they had a PC client you'd find the Stream a lot more useful.

Although you're probably right about the adaptive encoding part. But I had one of the original Slingboxes, which wasn't very hood at it either, and it was still watchable most of the time. Plus TiVo has the advantage of learning from what Sling has done.

It's been a while, but rather than start a new thread, I"ll see if this is still active.
Is there any particular reason the basic Roamio doesn't have component video output? I'm not too tech savvy, but I ask because I have an older HDTV and there is only one HDMI input, which now is being used by a blu-Ray player, leaving no room for HDMI output from the Roamio. I could move the player to component, I suppose, if HDMI is the only output to get HD.

On the Mini it took a specific one because the ground was in a different place then most breakout cables (which are typically designed for Apple devices) But as long as the ground is in the right spot the other 3 cables are interchangeable so it'll work even if you have to mismatch the colors.

I have no idea if they include one in the box. They didn't with the Mini. And the cables for the Mini didn't show up for like 2 weeks after the Mini was released. I bet the Mini one would work, but those are sold as a set and relatively expensive, and you'd end up with a component cable you didn't need.

Is this true? I found 2 of these Red/White/Yellow breakout cables in my 'box of cables' and they worked fine on the mini. They were old cables. I'm not sure where they came from.

It's been a while, but rather than start a new thread, I"ll see if this is still active.
Is there any particular reason the basic Roamio doesn't have component video output? I'm not too tech savvy, but I ask because I have an older HDTV and there is only one HDMI input, which now is being used by a blu-Ray player, leaving no room for HDMI output from the Roamio. I could move the player to component, I suppose, if HDMI is the only output to get HD.

You'll have to move the bluray player to component, or you can get a mini and use the component output from the mini.